April 20, 1996: "In fact, my government
will exercise the option to induct nuclear weapons as a deterrent."

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Agence France Presse

June 14, 1996: "India must
manufacture nuclear weapons for its security as a deterrent."

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Press Trust of India

December 11, 1997: "We are
for developing a nuclear deterrent. This is needed. For some odd reason the (outgoing
government) headed by Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral gave up this option."

BJP Party President Lal Krishna Advani, Deutsche Presse-Agentur

January 14, 1998: "Our
argument is that given the security environment, we have no option but to go
nuclear."

Brijesh Mishra, the covenor of the BJPs foreign policy cell, The
Hindu

February 19, 1998: "Though we
believe in a nuclear weapon-free world, but reject any notion of nuclear apartheid. We
will take all steps and not be dictated by anybody in this regard."

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, The Statesman (India)

March 18, 1998: "To ensure
the security, territorial integrity and unity of India we will take all necessary steps
and exercise the option to induct nuclear weapons."

BJPs National Agenda for Governance

But When Given the Chance to Say Something, Remained
Silent:

March 22, 1998: "The U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, during his telephonic
conversation with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Friday did not raise
the issue of the BJP-led coalitions decision to keep Indias nuclear option
open. The President in his conversation with the new Indian Prime Minister did
not have an opportunity to go in depth at any issues like that, Mr. Mike
McCurry, told newsmen when asked whether Mr. Clinton discussed with Mr. Vajpayee the
ruling fronts stand on the nuclear issue. Mr. McCurry, however, said, but
in stressing the utility of a strategic dialogue with India, issues of that nature
could be well within the framework of the kind of dialogue we would wish to have with the
government of India."

The Hindu

Who Needs Intelligence When You Have Newspapers?

May 13, 1998: "If you just read the
newspapers printed in New Delhi in English for the last year, nothing that happened in the
last three days would surprise you in the least. You would have expected it."